Part 7 (2/2)
”Oh, get off my boot!” she pleaded, thrusting out her injured foot.
Edith drew forward a ha.s.sock for it to rest upon, and then, with a face full of sympathy, dropped upon her knees and began to unb.u.t.ton the boot, which, however, was no easy matter, as the ankle was already much swollen.
The train began to move just at this moment, and the young girl started to her feet, an anxious look sweeping over her face.
”Never mind,” said the gentleman, rea.s.suringly. ”Unless you have friends aboard the train to be troubled about you, I will take you back to your car presently.”
”I have no one--I am traveling alone,” Edith responded, and flus.h.i.+ng slightly, as she encountered the gaze of earnest admiration which he bestowed upon her.
The gentleman's face lighted at her reply.
”Then would it be presuming upon your kindness too much to ask you to remain with my wife?” he inquired. ”I am perfectly helpless, like most men, when any one is ill and we know no one on the train.”
”I will gladly stay, and do whatever I can for her,” eagerly returned Edith, who felt that it would be a great relief and safeguard if she could complete her journey under the protection of these prepossessing people; while, too, it would give her something to think of and keep her from dwelling upon her own sorrows.
As Edith, from time to time, continued her ministering to the injured foot, rubbing it with alcohol, to reduce the inflammation, she was questioned by her new acquaintances, and informed them of her recent bereavement and of her lonely condition, and stated that she was going to Boston to try to secure employment.
She was applying the alcohol when the lady said:
”That will do for the present, Miss ---- What shall I call you, please?” she remarked, signifying that she did not care to have the foot rubbed any longer at that time.
”Edith Allen--Oh, what have I done?” the young girl suddenly cried out, in a voice of pain, as the woman winced and gave vent to a moan beneath her touch.
”Nothing--do not be troubled, dear--only you happened to touch a very tender spot,” exclaimed the lady, trying to smile rea.s.suringly into the girl's startled face. ”So your name is Edith Allen; that sounds very nice,” she continued. ”I am fond of pretty names as I am of pretty people.”
Edith opened her lips to correct her regarding her name; then suddenly checked herself.
It did not matter, she thought, if they did not know her full name.
She might never see them again; she had a right to use only the first half of her surname, if she chose, and it would not be nearly so conspicuous as Allandale, which was so familiar in certain circles in New York.
Thus she concluded to let the matter rest as it was.
The acquaintance thus begun was productive of an utterly unexpected result. Before the trip was ended, the lady had induced Edith to accept the position of traveling companion to her, at a salary of twenty-five dollars a month. She stated that about a month previous she had lost the services of the female who had filled the position, and until this time had been unable to find a suitable person for the place.
Edith decided to try the position for a month; ”then,” she added, ”if I meet your requirements, we can arrange for a longer time.”
”Very well; I am pleased with that arrangement. And now, Edith--of course I am not going to be so formal as to address you as Miss Allen--”
”Certainly not,” interposed Edith, with a charming little smile and blush.
”I was about to remark,” the lady went on, ”that I think it is time we were formally introduced to you. My husband is known as Gerald G.o.ddard, Esq., of No. ---- Commonwealth avenue, Boston, and I am--Mrs.
G.o.ddard.”
Edith wondered why she should have paused before speaking thus of herself; why she should have shot that quick, flas.h.i.+ng glance into her husband's face as she did so.
She was a very handsome woman of perhaps forty-two or forty-three years. She was slightly above the medium height, with a magnificently proportioned figure. Her hair was coal-black, with a tendency to curl; her eyes were of the same color, very large and brilliant, and rendered peculiarly expressive by the long raven lashes which shaded them. Her complexion was a pale olive, clear and smooth as satin; her features were somewhat irregular, but singularly pleasing when she was animated; her cheeks slightly tinted, her lips a vivid scarlet, her teeth white as alabaster.
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